"Clang!"
"Yah ha—!"
After making contact, Kuramochi Yoichi spun around and sprinted toward first base at full speed.
The scorekeeper standing nearby immediately raised his stopwatch.
The moment Kuramochi stepped on first base, the button was pressed.
"4.18 seconds!"
Kuramochi's expression stiffened instantly.
"Tch—damn it…"
The joy from the hit vanished without a trace.
He turned his head and looked toward the next batter stepping up for testing.
Ushijima Wakatoshi.
Standing calmly in the right-handed batter's box, Ushijima stretched his body and loosened his shoulders.
He gripped the bat with both hands and took a smooth practice swing.
Mid-swing, he deliberately loosened his grip.
The bat spun through the air in front of him due to inertia.
After a single rotation, Ushijima caught it cleanly again.
It wasn't a particularly flashy move.
Anyone who had played baseball for many years could do it.
Practice made perfect.
But when Ushijima performed it, the motion looked effortless—natural.
The Assistant Coach wasted no time and quickly tossed a pitch.
Ushijima's gaze sharpened.
His hands tightened.
He swung.
Clang!!!
The metal bat struck the ball cleanly, sending it screaming low and fast.
The instant the ball left the bat, Ushijima dropped it and exploded toward first base.
A tall figure surged forward like a gust of wind.
The baseball landed near the third-base foul line.
The scorekeeper stared at the stopwatch.
The moment Ushijima's foot touched the base—
Click.
"4.07 seconds."
A pause.
"Ushijima's fastest time so far."
"…Even if it's only by 0.01 seconds."
Kuramochi froze.
Despair quietly crept into his chest.
Sensing the pressure radiating from Kuramochi, Ushijima turned and spoke calmly.
"Senpai, you really don't need to worry about a difference of around 0.1 seconds."
"I'm eighteen centimeters taller than you. My stride is naturally longer."
"So it's normal that my time is slightly faster."
"If I were your height, without that advantage…"
"I might not even break 4.2 seconds."
Those words—
Didn't comfort Kuramochi at all.
Instead, they made it worse.
"Nonsense!"
Kuramochi snapped immediately.
"You're completely wrong!"
"The taller you are, the worse your agility usually is!"
"You're eighteen centimeters taller than me, and you're still faster!"
"That just proves I'm inferior, doesn't it?!"
That logic…
Was hard to refute.
The nearby players burst into laughter.
"Seriously, what kind of monster is this kid?"
"Insane stamina, insane speed."
"And now his batting is ridiculous too!"
"First in infield hits across the whole team?"
"Are you even going to let us senpais survive?"
Isashiki complained loudly, half-joking, half-serious.
Ushijima merely smiled.
Then he turned toward the third-years and spoke softly—but clearly.
"Senpais, if you feel pressured by me, I can hold back."
"But for you third-years…"
"This is your last Summer Tournament."
"If Seido fails to reach Koshien this time—"
"Your high school baseball careers will end with regret."
"I'm different."
"I still have more than two years."
"But you only have six months."
"The stronger I become, the more reliable a teammate you gain."
"And with one more reliable teammate…"
"Your chances of reaching Koshien increase."
"…Isn't that right?"
Silence fell.
The third-years were stunned.
Isashiki, who had been complaining just moments ago, felt his chest tighten.
He hadn't thought about it like that.
Not even once.
Yuki Tetsuya looked at Ushijima quietly.
He said nothing—
But he could feel it.
This cousin of his wasn't trying to stand out for himself.
He was trying to become a pillar.
For the third-years.
"Tch… you brat."
Isashiki turned his head and shouted loudly.
"Don't say such sentimental nonsense!"
"You'll make me soft!"
Ushijima didn't respond.
He simply straightened his posture and calmly removed his glove.
On the other side of the field—
Coach Kataoka Tesshin had been watching everything.
The words.
The attitude.
The presence.
This exchange student… was different.
Reliable.
"Tanba!"
Coach Kataoka's voice rang out sharply.
"Yes!!"
Tanba Koichiro snapped to attention instantly.
"Get on the mound."
"…Huh?"
Tanba froze.
"Miyauchi."
"Yes!"
"Catch for Tanba."
The two exchanged confused glances.
Why now?
Before anyone could process it, Coach Kataoka turned his gaze toward Ushijima.
"Ushijima."
"Get in the batter's box."
"——!!!!"
Every player on the field stiffened.
What?!
The Ace Pitcher—
Against a first-year?!
Already?!
But when they thought about it…
Ushijima's infield-hit success rate was the highest on the entire team.
His on-base percentage was first.
And Tanba?
Within Seido, he had a nickname.
The Phantom God of In-House Battles.
In internal matches, Tanba was nearly untouchable—his pitching rivaled national-level pitchers.
Though he faltered in official games, inside the team—
He was at his strongest.
A collision was inevitable.
The two stood twenty meters apart.
Eyes locked.
Fighting spirit surged between them.
Even the surrounding players felt the pressure.
A calm blue aura rose from Ushijima Wakatoshi—steady, vast, and unwavering.
The same aura once seen on Captain Yuki Tetsuya.
At the same time, a fierce red aura erupted from Tanba Koichiro—sharp and aggressive.
Like needle against awl.
Like Mars colliding with Earth.
The entire field buzzed with excitement.
This—
Was no ordinary practice.